


Their Eldest Son

by Treekianthia



Series: Bravely Babies [6]
Category: Bravely Default (Video Game) & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Bravely Default Spoilers, Bravely Second Spoilers, F/M, Family Bonding, Gen, mentions of child death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-06-23 10:38:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15604470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Treekianthia/pseuds/Treekianthia
Summary: When Ringabel tells Edea he’s taking a child in, Edea has her fair share of objections. When she meets the child herself, however, she realizes how much this child means to Ringabel… And to her. (Fic Archive: 11/25/17)





	1. Welcome Home

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Heartbeat](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13357422) by [Komatsu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Komatsu/pseuds/Komatsu). 



> The following fic was originally posted to outside sources on 11/25/17. It is being posted here for archival purposes and to help document my progress as a writer. It is also part of a post-canon AU referred to as the Bravely Babies, and more info on the children characters and the AU itself can be found on my tumblr blog woodland-knight.

Words couldn’t describe Edea’s feelings when she first laid eyes upon Zealan.

When Ringabel first told her he had brought home a child from another world, Edea didn’t know how to react. Ringabel had been gone for a week, doing some assignment given to him by the Planeswardens, when he suddenly walked into her office without any sort of warning. She hadn’t been expecting him, as she had been told he wouldn’t be home until the end of the month, and she nearly spilled ink all over her paperwork when he slammed his hands down on her desk. He was babbling about something, and though Edea couldn’t make out a coherent sentence, she was still able to pick up on some key words. From the sounds of it, he had brought something, or somebody, home with him.

“Ringabel, Ringabel! Slow down please! I can’t understand what you’re trying to say!” she told him as she put her pen down. “You can’t just stroll in here after being gone for a week without even saying hello and then start talking nonsense!”

Moving his hands off Edea’s desk, Ringabel stood up straight. “My apologies, Edea!” he told her as he tried to compose himself. “It’s just that the Planeswardens have agreed to let us take in a child that I found during my assignment! I thought that would be a far more important thing to start with!”

“Woah, wait what?” Edea asked in attempts to get Ringabel to clarify. “Did you just say that you brought a  _child_  home with you???”

Ringabel smiled. “Yes, exactly, and we’re going to care for him for the next year! Perhaps even longer!!” he explained. “You see, when I was checking on the state of Eternia, I met this boy…”

Edea listened as Ringabel told her about the boy he had brought home with him. His name was Zealan, apparently, and he was an only child living with his adoptive father. His mother had died in childbirth, and his father went missing a few days after, and under his current circumstances he needed a better place to stay. From the sounds of it, the boy’s upbringing had been harsh, and despite having an adoptive father who loved him, the two struggled to get by. Zealan’s grandfather had disowned him from the family, and his grandmother, the only other person to care for him, had died when he was young. Edea wasn’t surprised that Ringabel had wanted to take the child in, since he had always had a soft spot for orphans, but she wished he had at least  _asked_  her before making any arrangements.

Well, child wasn’t really the proper term. Zealan was already 17-years-old, and on the last day of the year, he would turn 18 and become a legally recognized adult. Ringabel told her that Zealan had also graduated from the Sky Knight Academy a few weeks prior, and that Zealan claimed he was going to become a knight in order to search for his father. This statement struck as odd to Edea, however, as it didn’t make sense for Zealan to want to leave his own world if he had plans to find his father. Perhaps Ringabel thought Zealan had a better chance of finding his father in this world? That didn’t make any sense either though, as surely there was also a version of Zealan that existed in this world doing the same.

Ringabel, however, insisted that wouldn’t be the case. “Zealan is a very special and unique boy,” he told her. “I doubt there’s any other child like him here in our world, so he’ll fit in perfectly!”

“How can you be so sure?” Edea asked, still unconvinced. “You should know better than anybody else that each world has their version of every individual, and that having multiple in one place can cause issues.”

Still smiling, Ringabel shook his head. “You need to trust me on this one!” he continued to tell her. “All you need to do is take one look at him, and I’m sure you’ll understand where I’m coming from!”

Sighing, Edea admitted defeat. “Alright, alright. I’ll take your word for it then. Let me see him,” she said in response as she got out of her chair. She still didn’t understand why Ringabel was so insistent, but she guessed she’d just have to wait and see. She knew in the past the two of them had considered adopting a fourth child once Valentine was a bit older, but that wouldn’t have been for another few years. She wasn’t sure if they were prepared to take in a child, let alone a teenaged boy, but it didn’t seem she had a say in it anymore. Ringabel really didn’t want her telling him no.

Edea’s heart almost stopped beating when Ringabel led Zealan into her office.

At first glance, Zealan looked like a normal teenaged boy. He was tall, a bit lanky, and extremely awkward. It was when she got a better look that Edea began to understand why she and Ringabel had been asked to take him in. She could feel herself becoming overwhelmed as she continued to stare, and she was sure she was making Zealan uncomfortable, but she couldn’t take her eyes off of him. A wave of emotions was washing over her, and she couldn’t stop it; first happiness, then pain, followed by sorrow, and now…

It had been almost eighteen years prior; it was an extremely busy year, and she and Ringabel had yet to marry. Most of their days were filled with meetings and paperwork as they worked to make Eternia a better country, but the little time they had away from work they would spend with each other. They had only recently started planning their wedding, and Ringabel had already brought up the idea of having kids. Edea had been against it for the most part, and in the end she told him they would have to wait. They had much to do before they could even consider having children, and there were much more important things on her mind at the time.

Fate did not work in her favor, however, and in the end the important things would have to wait. During a routine visit to the White Magic Hospital for physical, the nurse had discovered something rather curious. Edea remembered the nurse looking over dozens of charts and asking a few questions, and a few tests later, Edea received news she hadn’t been expecting to hear until after she was married. She was pregnant, and within the next year, she and Ringabel would be welcoming home a new addition to the family. The news had caught her off guard at the time, and she wasn’t sure if she would be able to tell Ringabel when she saw him; however, after much poking and prodding from him during dinner, she told him she was with child.

Ringabel had been ecstatic, of course, and before Edea could even get another word in, he started asking her what felt like a million questions. How far along was she? Did they know when the baby was due? How long until they would know if it was a boy or a girl? What were some names they could consider? Edea was so overwhelmed at the time that she couldn’t latch onto a single question. In the end, she had to shut Ringabel up before the mixture of confusion and food in her stomach got the better of her.

For the next few months, that overwhelmed feeling became her life. Meetings, paperwork, morning sickness, and constant cravings were now wrapped up into one overweight version of herself. She wasn’t proud of it, but she was picking up the pounds fast. She had already always been a bit on the heavier side when it came to girls her age and size, but this was excessive. With her stomach growing bigger as it was, she found herself unable to do a lot of what she used to be able to.

Yet despite it all, she was still willing to carry her child. She and Ringabel were happy, expecting parents, and every time she saw herself in the mirror, she wondered what motherhood would be like. Growing up she had never thought she would become a mother, but now it was beginning to feel so real to her, and she was excited, even if it meant her life would be changing forever. It was all so different and new to her, but it was the same way for Ringabel as well. Even if she was feeling overwhelmed, he’d be right by her side the entire time supporting her.

Over time, however, the overwhelming feeling turned into frustration, and that frustration turned into constant stress. Even if she was pregnant, she still had duties that she needed to attend to, which resulted in many sleepless nights and having to force her body to do what it physically couldn’t. When the doctor started to warn her about the risks and dangers this could have on the baby, Ringabel began to monitor her closely and forced her to take breaks, as much as she didn’t want to. She was the Grand Marshal of Eternia! Not even being pregnant should have stopped her from doing what was good for her people!

But then there was the pain- the sudden pain that hit her as if a Behemoth had charged straight into her stomach. She and Ringabel had been out shopping for their baby, whom they now knew was a boy, when all of the sudden she fell to her knees, doubled over in pain. She could feel herself cramping up, and there was a burning feeling inside of her enlarged stomach that hurt even more. She tried to grab onto Ringabel so she could bring herself back onto her feet, but every time she did she would lose her balance and end right back on her knees. In the end, Ringabel had to pick her up and rush her to the White Magic Hospital.

Edea always wished she could forget how painful the next twenty-four hours were. At some point the nurses were able to make the pain stop, but the main White Mage caring for her held his head low. He told her that he was sorry, that the baby’s heart was no longer beating, that something had happened and Edea’s body was no longer able to support the life that had been growing inside of her. She turned towards Ringabel, who was trying to stay strong for her, but she knew that he too wanted to cry for their lost child. Tears streamed down Edea’s face as she wailed and sobbed in Ringabel’s arms, and she knew all too well that she was the reason their baby would never be welcomed into this world.

Edea spent that night in the hospital so she could be monitored for any abnormalities. Her son was no longer in her body, and Ringabel had momentarily stepped out to inform friends and family of their loss. Edea stared blankly at the wall, remembering all the times she had overworked herself despite the doctor’s warnings and Ringabel’s best efforts. She thought of everything she had wanted to do for her country, and how none of that success would ever make up for the loss of her child. Every time she would think about it, guilt would take a hold of her, and she’d be left to wallow in her own sorrow and grief.

It took several months for life to return to somewhat normal, and even then, Edea was still not acting like herself. Ringabel had suggested they store away the items they had purchased for their son for any children they had in the future, and though Edea had agreed, she didn’t think she would ever fully recover from what she had done. A few months prior she was preparing to welcome a child into her home, but her own stupidity and pride had taken it all away from her. She felt as if she were the worst human being in Luxendarc, and that Ringabel would surely never want to have children with her again. He would probably leave her for what she had done, and she would be left alone to suffer with the pain.

Ringabel did no such thing, however, and stayed with her through it all. Though she told him over and over again it was her fault she had lost the child, he never held any of the blame against her. In truth, he blamed himself for not taking care of her more, and that he would make it up to her by never leaving her side again. Even if Edea never wanted to try having children again, he would stay with her through it all. He loved her more than anything else, and the pain they felt would only bring them closer.

It took Ringabel and Edea three years to be ready to have children again. By then, Tiz and Agnès had a six-month-old son named Theo, and Yew and Magnolia had a three-month-old daughter named Selena. While Edea had a fondness for her friends’ children, Ringabel had become completely attached to them. It made Edea smile to see him so happy whenever their friends visited, and she started to feel that perhaps she was ready to try again. She was still terrified of losing another child, but she knew Ringabel would be there no matter what happened. After much internal debate, she finally told Ringabel she was ready.

Fourteen years had passed since then, and Edea and Ringabel were now the proud parents of three wonderful, but also rambunctious children. Their second attempt at having children had resulted in twins, a boy and a girl. Edea had been terrified the entire time she was pregnant out of fear of losing not only one, but two children, but Ringabel stayed with her the entire way and told her everything would be okay. When the twins were born, she was overwhelmed with the fact that both her children were alive and well, but it had been Ringabel who cried. His dreams of starting a family had been realized, and it was one of the happiest moments in his life.

Six years after that, Edea had her third pregnancy, which resulted in another baby girl. Edea had still been nervous over what could occur, but the successful pregnancy of her twins from years prior helped calm her nerves. She was much more relaxed during this time, but Ringabel still continued to dote on her. Fortunately, Edea was able to carry the baby to full term without any complications, and her oldest two now had a baby sister. After having felt so much pain so many years ago, she thought that perhaps she would finally be able to move on.

The Lee family was a happy one, and there was always one thing or another going on. Her children were a lively bunch, no doubt having gotten it from her and their father, but also quite the handful. Edea was grateful for what she had despite this, but even then, she always found herself thinking about what could have been. Every year, on the anniversary of their first child’s death, she would think about how things would have differed in their life. What it would have been like if she had the son that she never knew…

Now, after all these years, there was a child standing before her that needed a home. A child who had lost his parents and been abandoned by the only family he had left. A child who had lived despite the odds that had been pitted against him. A child that lived and breathed and had a mother who had sacrificed her life for him instead of her taking his life away. A child that she had so long desperately wanted to meet.

Standing before her was the child she had lost all those years ago.

“Um, it’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Lee,” Zealan nervously said as he looked at her. “I’m very grateful that you and Mr. Lee have offered to take me in for the next year.”

“It’s… It’s a pleasure, Zealan…” Edea told him as she tried to hold back tears. “I’m so glad to be able to meet you…”

Zealan looked away, seemingly trying to think of what to say. “Mr. Lee said that you would probably want to say something to me…?” he asked as he tried to take in his surroundings. Edea felt emotions overtaking her, and she wrapped her arms around the teenaged boy standing in front of her. Her tears were beginning to fall, and she could feel the guilt from all those years ago building up inside her once more.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry…” she told Zealan over and over again. It was the only thing she could get herself to say to him, and even if he had no idea why she apologizing, she needed to say it. Perhaps Ringabel had explained what had happened with their son, or perhaps he chose not to, but he must have felt this would help Edea find some sort of closure. To rid herself of the guilt she had placed upon herself… She needed to tell her son she was sorry.

After a few minutes of letting Edea apologize, Ringabel gently placed his hand on her shoulder. “Edea… Perhaps it’s time we introduce Zealan to his siblings?” he calmly suggested to her. “We’ll have plenty of time to get to know him, but the three were quite curious to as of why their father brought home an older boy that looked nearly identical to him.”

Letting go of Zealan, Edea looked at Ringabel and nodded. “Y-yes, you’re right. W-we should tell them what’s going on b-before the twins start convincing Valentine you’ve successfully cloned yourself,” she said before letting out a small, shaky laugh. Ringabel turned his attention to Zealan and smiled at him.

“Now, I do believe it’s time you met Lyvia, Alternis, and Valentine! Don’t be fooled by their looks, however, as Lyvia and Alternis are actually pure evil,” Ringabel jested before putting his arm around Zealan. The teenaged boy looked rather uncomfortable with Ringabel’s actions, but Edea chalked it up to him still being nervous.

“I guess I wouldn’t mind meeting them,” Zealan said in a way that was more of a mumble. Enthusiastic over introducing Zealan to his children, Ringabel removed his arm from the teen’s shoulders and headed towards the door.

“Come along then! You too, Edea! This is surely something you’re not going to want to miss!” Ringabel chimed before swinging the doors open. “Oh childreeeen! Your mother and I have something to tell you!”

Edea watched as Ringabel left the room, and once he was running down the hall she went and took Zealan’s hand. She assumed this was the first time he had really ever had somebody hold his hand, as he flinched a bit as she held on. Holding his hand tight, she placed her other hand on his cheek and smiled at him. He looked at her still a bit nervous about the entire ordeal, but she hoped he would adjust soon. For now, however, there was only one other thing she needed to say to him…

_“Welcome home, Zealan…”_


	2. Father and Son

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Ringabel finds an old album lying around, painful memories come back to him. Though it’s not anything he isn’t used to, things become difficult when his oldest son starts asking questions about it. (Fic Archive: 08/07/18)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The following fic was originally posted to outside sources on 08/07/18. It is being posted here for archival purposes and to help document my progress as a writer. It is also part of a post-canon AU referred to as the Bravely Babies, and more info on the children characters and the AU itself can be found on my tumblr blog woodland-knight.

It began with the album. **  
**

Ringabel had been looking for a military tactics book when he found it again. It had been misplaced somehow, put back on a shelf where it didn’t belong, and he was unsure of how it had gotten there. He and Edea normally kept it in their room for safekeeping, but somehow it had made its way to the main bookshelf in the sitting room on the first floor. With how much time that had passed since its creation, the two only pulled it out a few times at the end of each year, but it had been months since they last looked at it. Ringabel couldn’t help but wonder how long it had been there.

Opening the album to a random page, Ringabel looked at the pictures within. They were mostly of a small infant on his own, but there were plenty of him with Edea and Ringabel as well. Anazel, Ringabel and Edea’s eldest child, had died in the womb almost 18 years prior, and the album was one of their few memories that remained of him. While the urn that originally contained his ashes was in a case upstairs, and a few items meant for Anazel were stored in the attic, the album was the only thing left untouched. Anazel’s ashes had been scattered long ago, and what items that could be repurposed were given to the twins when they were born.

The pictures had thankfully aged well despite being older prints, and any fading had been minimal. Ringabel could see his son clearly, and he looked adorable as ever in his blanket and hat. The more he looked at his son and the family photos, the more Ringabel couldn’t help but be a bit emotional. It was nothing more than a few stray tears, but it was to be expected. The death of a child was heartbreaking, no matter how long it had been.

“Mr. Lee, are you in here?”

Looking over his shoulder, Ringabel noticed a young man peering into the sitting room. Zealan, his adoptive son that now took the role of eldest child, was looking at him with a slight scowl. The young man seemed annoyed, which was a change from his normal, shy demeanor, and Ringabel couldn’t help but wonder if something happened. It was rare for Zealan to present himself to Ringabel in this way.

“Ah, Zealan! How can I help you?” Ringabel asked as he turned around. Closing the album, he tucked it under his arm and gestured his free hand towards his son, who straightened up and fully entered the room.

“The maids sent me to tell you the twins broke a window in the library- they’re already working on cleaning it up, but they said you’d order the replacement,” Zealan explained. “Alternis and Lyvia were both sent to their rooms, and it sounds like Mrs. Lee is going to properly punish them later.”

“Tsk tsk tsk,” Ringabel said as he shook his head. “Will those two ever learn?” Though it wasn’t a surprise the two had broken something, Ringabel had hoped with Zealan around the two would at least become a  _little_  more responsible. They continued to prove Ringabel wrong, however, and they continued causing mischief even with the watchful eye of their older brother.

“According to Lyvia, they were trying to reach something on top of one of the shelves when they knocked something over. She was sitting on Alternis’ shoulders when they hit it, and it just kind of fell and cracked the window open,” Zealan explained. Though it sounded like a reasonable explanation, Ringabel wasn’t completely convinced.

“And what did Alternis say?” Ringabel asked in attempts to catch the twins, or at least Lyvia, in a lie. Alternis was more likely to crack under pressure, so if he was asked separately he’d more than likely tell the truth.

Zealan, meanwhile, shrugged. “The exact same thing, really,” he continued to explain. “The only difference between the two stories was what caused them to hit something. Lyvia says it’s because Alternis wasn’t watching where he was going, and Alternis said Lyvia’s weight caused him to stumble.”

Sighing, Ringabel shook his head again. “I honestly expect too much of those two,” he said before looking back at Zealan. “Thank you for letting me know. I’ll make sure it gets taken care of.”

“Do you want me to help with anything?” Zealan asked as his posture tensed up. Any hint of annoyance seemed to have left him, and he instead adopted a strict seeming manner he sometimes had with Ringabel. Despite his words, his demeanor hinted he didn’t want to stick around.

“No, that’s quite alright,” Ringabel said as he untucked the album and held it in his hand. “Let me put this away and I’ll take care of the window.”

Curious, Zealan leaned slightly in attempts to get a better glance at the album in Ringabel’s hand. “What is that?” he asked as he eyed the cover. Without a moment of hesitation, Ringabel clutched the album and hid the cover from view.

“Ah, this is nothing of importance,” Ringabel stated as he hid the cover from Zealan’s view. He hadn’t meant to react in such a defensive manner, but Ringabel was unsure of how to approach the album’s contents with Zealan. It contained rather personal images, and if Zealan saw them it would complicate things. It wasn’t, however, because Ringabel felt Zealan deserved to know…

But it was because Ringabel wasn’t sure how to explain to Zealan the album was for  _Zealan himself._

Though the two boys’ names differed, there was never any doubt in Ringabel’s mind that Anazel and Zealan were one in the same. Though Anazel had tragically passed away before his birth, Zealan had survived due to his mother sacrificing her own life for his. Zealan had been able grow up and live the life Anazel could not, though it had been filled with hardships. With how much Zealan had been through, Ringabel was unsure if the young man could fathom hearing about his counterpart’s death. Ringabel himself had already struggled enough after learning of his own counterpart’s disappearance.

“Is everything alright, Mr. Lee?” Zealan asked, sounding concerned as he did so. “You seem to be crying.”

“Am I?” Ringabel asked in response. Feeling his cheeks, he could feel a few tears that had managed to stream down without notice. “Ah, so I am… But you shouldn’t worry about me. Everything is fine, Anaz- ...Zealan. Everything is fine.”

Ringabel hadn’t meant to almost call Zealan “Anazel”, but it had started to slip out. It felt natural, which didn’t come as too much of a surprise, but Ringabel didn’t want to treat Zealan as a replacement. Anazel was a missing piece in their family, and Zealan helped to fill it, but he still had a life and name of his own. Ringabel didn’t want to tie the young man down by telling him the truth. Perhaps it really was for the best he didn’t tell Zealan about the album’s contents.

“I’m… Glad to hear that,” Zealan hesitantly said as he stood uncomfortably and eyed what little of the book he could see. “Is that... A uh, photo album? My adoptive father had one too. He used it to record his travels before he took me in.”

Tensing up, Ringabel tried his best to keep the album out of Zealan’s view. “Yes, it is a photo album,” he said without further explanation. He knew Zealan was a curious boy, but there was only so much Ringabel was willing to say about the book in his hand. Perhaps if he were lucky, he’d be able to get away without Zealan asking too many questions.

Much to Ringabel’s relief, however, Zealan backed off.

“I guess I’ll leave you to put it away so you can work on replacing that window,” Zealan told Ringabel. Ringabel could feel his tenseness leave his shoulders, and he was finally able to relax slightly. He didn’t think talking to his son should be this stressful, but there was much that Ringabel was trying to hide from him.

“I’ll only be a few minutes,” Ringabel promised as he moved past Zealan. “I’ll put it back in it’s casing and gather the papers I need to order that window.”

Ringabel felt he had nothing else to worry about. Once the album was back where it belonged, Ringabel could grab the papers he needed to get the window fixed and check on the state of the twin’s punishment. With Zealan’s job done, Ringabel could fill out the paperwork as needed without worrying about the older boy poking around. Zealan would probably be off reading or painting- doing something to keep him distracted- and forget about the album for now. That way, Ringabel would be able to tell him about it alongside Edea when the proper time came.

Ringabel, however, had not realized his mistake in words.

“That album must be very important if you keep it in a casing,” Zealan pointed out before Ringabel could leave the room. Ringabel stopped in place and looked back at his son, who was once again staring at him curiously.

“Ah, well… You see..” Ringabel forced out before swallowing. His throat was feeling dry, and he wasn’t really sure how to explain himself.

“You also seem quite adamant on keeping it close to you and away from me,” Zealan continued pointing out. “Are you perhaps hiding a photo album filled with past lovers from Mrs. Lee?”

Ringabel’s jaw dropped. “What!? Of course not!” he assured Zealan. “This album is filled with no such thing!” Ringabel was shocked Zealan would even suggest such a thing, but then again, Zealan had yet to fully begin to trust Ringabel. Their relationship was a complicated one.

“Then what is it?” Zealan asked with a genuine curiosity. Ringabel wasn’t sure why Zealan was suddenly so interested- okay that was a lie; it was because Ringabel was being so secretive- and he was unsure of what to do. There were so many pros and cons to weigh through that Ringabel didn’t have enough time to think.

He had to make an on the spot decision.

“...sit down, Zealan,” Ringabel requested as he gestured towards a small couch. “I have something to tell you.”

Without any hesitation, Zealan went and sat down. A moment later, Ringabel sat down next to him and placed the album on the table in front of them. As soon as he placed the album down, a heaviness left Ringabel’s chest. It was as if he had actually been holding his son the entire time, and putting the album down had finally allowed him to rest. Zealan, meanwhile, started looking through the small amount of pictures placed inside- though Ringabel had made sure Zealan skipped over the front page.

“It’s a collection of baby photos…” Zealan said to himself before glancing at Ringabel. “These don’t seem to be of Valentine, so I assume it’s of the twins? Though it’s odd they’re not in any photos together.”

Ringabel inhaled sharply. “That’s because it isn’t of the twins or Valentine,” he began to explain. “It’s their older brother.”

“...their older brother...?” Zealan asked before going quiet. There was a dreariness in the air now, and Ringabel felt uneasy. Perhaps it was because he was digging up old memories, or perhaps it was because of something else.

“He passed away two months before he was due, and we had this album created in memory of him. His ashes were scattered in the village of Regen, back when it was known as Gravemark, and this is one of the few momentos we have left of him,” Ringabel continued explaining. “It’s not something we often discuss.”

The dreariness in the air increased as Zealan moved his hand away from the album. “I… I see,” he managed to say. He looked to be in slight shock, but Ringabel didn’t blame him. It was a horrible thing to learn.

“As time passed, we began to accept and live with the reality of what happened, though not a single day goes by where we don’t wish he had survived. It’s like we’re missing a piece of our family, and we’ll always have that hole in our hearts,” Ringabel mentioned with a somber tone. He noticed Zealan twitch slightly, and the young boy seemed focused on the pictures in front of him.

“Do the twins and Valentine know?” Zealan asked as he placed his hand over one of the pictures. “I assume they do, but I also understand if you chose not to tell them.”

Ringabel sighed and nodded in response. “Yes, the three of them know about Anazel. The twins are fully aware of what happened, but Valentine is still a bit too young to understand the impact of it,” he explained further. A stray tear fell down his cheek and the heaviness in his chest returned; it never got any easier telling someone about Anazel.

For a moment, Zealan was quiet. His hand was still placed over one of the pictures, and his eyes repeatedly scanned the rest of the page. His fingers twitched and the corners of his lips turned downwards slightly; he was beginning to look irritated, and Ringabel wondered if he had upset the young teen somehow. He hoped he hadn’t, as their relationship was already strained enough.

After a minute or two, Zealan broke his silence. “...why were you hesitant to tell me? Aren’t I your child too?” he asked coldly. His voice was bitter, and Ringabel felt a slight ping of pain in his heavy heart.  _He hadn’t wanted to hesitate, but… There was so much that had to be explained._

“You  _are_  my child, Zealan, and I love you just as much as Valentine and the twins,” Ringabel assured him. “You have every right to know what happened.”

Frustrated, Zealan slammed his hand down and snapped at Ringabel. “Then why were you so hesitant to tell me!?”

Taken aback, Ringabel struggled to find the right words. Zealan was staring directly at Ringabel, and there was an intense, hateful fire in his eyes. Ringabel could tell that Zealan was angry with him, but Ringabel had honestly been trying his best. It was just difficult for him to talk about on his own.

Ringabel tensed up. “It’s not that I didn’t want to tell you, Zealan. I was just unsure of how to approach the subject,” he tried to convince his son. Ringabel’s own breath was unsteady now, and he was trying his best to keep calm.

“You seem to have explained it to Lyvia and the twins well enough!” Zealan pointed out in rebuttal as the bitterness in his voice increased. “You say I’m your child, yet you don’t treat me like it!”

“Zealan, I need you to understand this isn’t easy for me,” Ringabel told the aggravated teen. His own voice was stern now, as he was trying to remind Zealan that  _he_  was the teen’s father. Ringabel wouldn’t tolerate being yelled at.

Zealan bit his lip before speaking again. “This isn’t easy? You know what else isn’t easy? You taking me away from my family and claiming that you’re my father-“

“ZEALAN, THAT’S ENOUGH!”

Silence followed Ringabel’s outburst. Zealan stared wide-eyed at him, and tears streamed down Ringabel’s cheeks. He was frustrated, but he didn’t want to continue lashing out at his son. Ringabel knew Zealan’s emotions had gotten the better of him, but Zealan had began crossing a line he shouldn’t have. Ringabel also understood the young man’s bitterness, but his behavior was far from acceptable. Zealan had acted like Ringabel had when he was Zealan’s age.

Ringabel let out a shaky breath. “Zealan, you have to understand that your mother and I  _lost a child_. You are not the only one who has had tragedy and death in your life,” he told Zealan. “I know I’m not a replacement for your father, but  _you are_  my son, and I love you. This subject is just difficult for me to talk about,  _especially with my children_.”

“...I’m sorry,” Zealan muttered as he looked away from Ringabel. The bitterness in his voice was gone, but something else was in its place. Ringabel could tell it was sadness and frustration, but he knew he shouldn’t point it out. Not after that outburst.

“Promise me you won’t tell your mother about this,” Ringabel requested. “It would break her heart to know we were arguing again.” He felt bad for upsetting Zealan, but he’d feel even worse if he ended up upsetting Edea as well.

“I promise,” Zealan said without saying much more. He was quiet now, most likely due to Ringabel’s shouting, and hesitant to say anything in response. He was acting like he normally did when he approached Ringabel.

Feeling guilty, Ringabel took a moment to think. “...speaking of your mother, why don’t you talk with her?” he suggested a minute later. “I’m sure there’s still a lot she’d like to discuss with you, and she enjoys spending time with you.”

“...can she tell me more about this album?” Zealan quietly asked. It wasn’t much of a surprise that Zealan still wanted to discuss the album, but Ringabel had just proven he wasn’t the person Zealan should be talking to. Zealan’s connection with Edea was much better than his anyway.

“She can tell you more about our son, yes, but the album… Let her show that to you in her own time. She’ll show you when she’s ready,” Ringabel stated. The dreariness in the room had faded, but the heaviness in his heart remained. He needed to go lay down for a bit.

“Thank you, Mr. Lee. I’ll ask her next time she’s free,” Zealan said before standing up. “Ah, and before you forget… You should order that new window.”

_Ah right, the window._  “Run along then, Zealan,” Ringabel said as he waved his son off. “I’ll go put this away and go look into contractors to fix it.” In his room. In the comfort of his own bed.

As Zealan left the room with a simple farewell, Ringabel stood up and took the album off the table. He was drained from the yelling, and though his conversation with Zealan had been brief, it had carried a heavy emotional impact with it. Ringabel felt horrible for putting the burden of telling Zealan more about Anazel on Edea, but he knew that she was the best person for the job. Perhaps afterwards, Zealan would know the truth about the album, and the three of them could look through it together. Maybe Zealan would be able to fully forgive him then as well.

As Ringabel walked towards his room, he could hear Edea lecturing the twins down the hall. He couldn’t quite make out what she was saying, however, and ultimately decided to tune her out. His mind was too busy thinking about the argument that had ensued, and he clutched the album tight as he entered the master bedroom. He was tired, so perhaps he’d take a nap before looking for somebody to fix the window. There wasn’t a real rush anyway, and there was no threat of snow blowing in through the hole the twins had made.

Unlocking the album’s casing, he took one last look through the pictures. It always hurt a bit to flip through the pages, but Ringabel needed to see them. He needed to tell himself that one day Zealan would look through them too and understand everything. They’d be a happy family, and Zealan would think of Ringabel as his father. One day, everything would be okay…

And one day, Zealan would read the words meant for Anazel on the front page; the words that were meant for his oldest son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Though this is the second chapter, this was actually the third fic to be written. The inspiration for this one came from Komatsu asking a question about the third chapter (the second fic written)! Since this one comes before the second fic chronologically, it made sense to make this the second chapter.


	3. Mother and Child

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Edea takes the day off to spend some time along, she isn’t wanting any visitor. When her eldest son comes to see her, however, she takes the time to talk and discuss a very difficult subject with him.. (Fic Archive: 05/16/18)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The following fic was originally posted to outside sources on 05/16/18. It is being posted here for archival purposes and to help document my progress as a writer. It is also part of a post-canon AU referred to as the Bravely Babies, and more info on the children characters and the AU itself can be found on my tumblr blog woodland-knight.

It was late morning when Zealan showed up at Edea’s office. It had so far been a quiet morning, with snow having fallen the night before, and Edea had snuck off to her office to enjoy the silence and read. Having downtime was a rare occurrence for her, but she had gotten most of her work for the week done, having given the heaviest of the workload to Einheria and Kamiizumi, and was taking the day off to relax. Though she  _had_ found her way back to her office, she had ordered that she be left alone until the afternoon. If there was an emergency, word would instead be sent to Ringabel, who would contact her from there. As a result, she felt a twinge of annoyance when she heard the office door open.

“Who is it?” Edea asked while holding back harsh words. She assumed it was a rookie who had unknowingly bothered her and was prepared to give them a tongue lashing, but she didn’t want to ruin her good mood. She heard her guest clear their… his throat.

“Hello, Mrs. Lee. May I speak with you?”

Edea looked up from her book. Though she had been expecting a rookie, she now realized that she had been mistaken. Instead of a rookie, her eldest son Zealan stood in the doorway with his hand placed on the wooden door. He looked pale and unhappy, and it seemed there was something wrong.

“Zealan? Are you alright?” Edea asked as she closed her book. Though she had been enjoying her time reading, her son took precedence over some cheap romance novel her husband had lent her. By the way Zealan sounded, it seemed as if he was worried. Hesitantly, he made his way over to Edea’s desk.

“I… This place is very messy,” Zealan mentioned as he looked around the office. Edea followed his gaze as he looked at all the bookcases and filing cabinets strewn about, each of them overflowing with binders and papers from many years’ worth of projects.

“You’re right, but your father and I really don’t get that much time to clean in here, and I don’t like the maids touching important files,” Edea said as she placed her book down and leaned back in her chair. “I doubt the state of my office is what brought you here though, so why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind.”

“I know today is your day off- Mr. Lee actually told me not to bother you- but there’s something I’ve been meaning to discuss with you,” Zealan meekly told her. He was avoiding making eye contact, having elected to continue looking around instead, and one of his hands was now tightly gripping the side of his jacket. There was no doubt that he was nervous.

“What would you like to talk about?” Edea asked as she made herself comfortable. “Even if it is my day off, I can always make time for my children.” She was smiling, and she hoped it made Zealan a little less nervous. He gave a small nod.

“Thank you, Mrs. Lee,” he said, still avoiding eye contact. “I… I must warn you, however. The subject is a little bit personal, and it may be hard for you to speak about.”

“I’m sure everything will be fine, Zealan. I’m a lot tougher than you think!” Edea tried to assure her son while continuing to smile. Zealan was a unique child, and there was much he didn’t know about his birth parents. If he had a question about her, it wouldn’t be right of her to deny him an answer. He’d already been denied so much growing up in another world, but here she wanted to make sure he felt loved and safe. She wanted him to feel like a part of the family.

Clearing his throat, Zealan sat down in one of the chairs in front of Edea’s desk. Though the chair itself was rather large, being built that way to accompany heavier visitors, Zealan scrunched himself up to take up as little room as possible. He reminded Edea of a nervous child having to sit at a table with a group of adults that was trying their best to hide themself from view.

“Well, you see…” Zealan began as his eyes darted towards a family picture that Edea kept at her desk. “Mr. Lee told me about your son….”

Edea blinked and looked at the picture as well. It had been taken in the previous year on the twins’ birthday, before Zealan had joined their family. “You mean Alternis?” Edea asked, confused by the statement. “Look, no matter what your father says about him, Alternis is a good kid-”

Wincing slightly, Zealan interrupted while turning to face her. “Ah, no, I don’t mean Alternis,” he explained. “I mean Mr. Lee told me about your oldest son. The one from your first pregnancy. I don’t remember what triggered it, but a few days ago we happened to get on the subject of him...”

For a moment, Edea felt like her heart had stopped beating. “Oh, I… I see,” she muttered before going silent. Zealan had been right when he warned her. Her eldest son, the son she had lost, was indeed a hard subject for her to talk about. She understood why Zealan would have curiosities about him, but wasn’t sure how much she’d be able to say. It wasn’t something she often wished to speak about, in fact, she couldn’t think of a time where she would want to talk about it.

“Is it alright if we talk about him? I understand if you don’t want to; it just happened to catch my interest when Mr. Lee brought him up,” Zealan continued to explain. He still sounded nervous, though it was understandable under their current situation. It was a very heavy subject to discuss, and probably a bit uncomfortable for Zealan on top of that.

Edea took a deep breath and placed her hands on her stomach. “You were right about it being hard for me to talk about, but… I should be able to manage,” she assured Zealan. “It never will be easy to talk about him, but I can’t blame you for being curious. What would you like to know first?”

Zealan sat up straight and tried his best to look composed. “Well, Mr. Lee said… He told me your son passed away about two months before your due date,” he explained, trying his best to fight any hesitation. If he hesitated even a bit, the two of them would be stuck in an awkward and painful silence until he managed to speak again, which wasn’t really a good situation to be in at the current moment. Edea appreciated the effort he was trying to put in to make things easier on her; he really was a sweet boy.

“Yes, that’s correct,” Edea said while closing her eyes. “Your father and I lost him in mid-winter, the same day a large snowstorm hit.” She could still remember both the physical and emotional pain she felt on that day, and it was something she hoped she’d never have to go through again. It was something that no battle wound could ever compare to, and it still haunted her to this day.

His throat dry, Zealan swallowed. “I… I see,” he managed to force out. “May I… Perhaps ask what you two had decided to name him? I mean, I assume at this time you would have at least an idea of what his name would be.”

It was Edea’s turn to wince, and she shifted uncomfortably in her chair. “Yes, he did have a name…” she said solemnly. They had decided on their son’s name about two months prior, and there were even a few items locked away in the attic that had their unborn child’s initials embroidered into them. Though they remained unused, both Ringabel and Edea saw no reason to throw them out. They still held meaning to them.

“What was it?” Zealan asked as he leaned in closer. Realizing his actions may come off as being a insensitive, he backed away and awkwardly sunk back into his chair. “If… You don’t mind sharing, of course.”

Edea shook her head. “No, it’s fine,” she told Zealan before taking another deep breath. “His name was Anazel… Anazel Ringabel Lee.”

“Anazel? ...what a nice name,” Zealan said in response. For a moment, Edea heard him saying something under his breath, but she couldn’t make it out. He was nodding to himself as well, and it seemed he was mentally making a note of something. She wondered what he could possibly be thinking about.

“It is nice, isn’t it? There’s actually a bit of an odd story behind why we chose it,” Edea mentioned as she moved her chair closer to her desk and placed her hands on top of it. “For the longest time, your father associated the name with his depression, and it wasn’t one he was fond of.”

Curious, Zealan perked up. “Really? Why would Mr. Lee want to name your child such a thing then?” he asked with a furrowed brow. He was giving Edea his full attention now, which was much nicer than the small glances he normally gave her. She moved her hands so she could lay her chin on them and began to smile sadly.

“When he learned I was pregnant, your father was absolutely ecstatic. He was so happy to have another good thing happen in his life that he wanted to get rid of more of the bad,” she began to explain. “That’s why when we learned we were going to have a boy, he suggested the name Anazel to me. He told me he no longer wanted to associate it with his depression or any of the terrible things he went through, and that he wanted to associate it with our son instead.”

Having mixed emotions about the response, Zealan dropped his gaze. “That’s honestly really nice…” he mentioned with a low voice. “It’s terrible to think it didn’t turn out as he hoped…”

Edea sighed sadly and looked back towards the family photo on her desk. Now that Zealan was here, they’d need to update it soon. “It didn’t turn out how either of us had hoped; how anybody had hoped,” she pointed out to him. “It was a very painful time for us, and I don’t think we’ll ever truly recover from what happened.” It wasn’t just Ringabel and her either; losing a child wasn’t something anybody could really fully recover from.

Zealan bit his lip. “I’m sorry if I’m asking too much of you with all of this. There’s just… Something I’ve been wanting to know since the day that Mr. Lee told me about Anazel,” he admitted. Now it was Edea’s turn to be curious. She turned her attention back to him, and to her surprise, it looked as if he was in pain.

“Are you alright, Zealan?” she asked as she stood up and walked around her desk. Sitting in the chair next to her son, Edea placed her hand on one of his shoulders. “Whatever it is you want to ask, I promise everything is going to be okay.”

Zealan continued to bite his lip. “I… You see… The day you lost your son… I’d like to know what day it was,” he told her, his voice cracking slightly at the mention of the lost child. Edea felt herself tense up at the question, but she kept herself composed. Even while talking about a difficult subject, she refused to break down.

“...December 31st. It was December 31st, right before the New Year,” she said between shaky breaths. “We had gone out in the morning before a large snowstorm to do the last of the shopping we needed to for Anazel when I collapsed, and… And…”

It was no use; her composure crumbled and she couldn’t finish. There was nothing else she wanted to say. She had been rushed to the White Magic Hospital where she was told that her son was dead, and then proceeded to spend the next twenty-four hours broken and emotionally lost in a small and cramped hospital room. She didn’t want to relive those moments right now. She didn’t want to relive those moments ever again.

“You don’t need to finish, I understand,” Zealan interjected, much to Edea’s relief. Though her stomach ached slightly from how tense she was, having the pressure to speak be gone helped her to relax. The memories she was recalling had worked her up, but it was all something she had experienced countless times before. It would pass as long as she breathed and focused on happier aspects of her life.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to continue this conversation,” Edea apologized, feeling a bit guilty about her current state. She knew Zealan had things he wanted to know, but she wasn’t ready to give him anymore answers at this point. Zealan seemed to not be bothered by Edea’s inability to continue explaining, however, as he was now stuck focusing on his own thoughts instead.

A few moments of silence between the two followed. While Edea took the time to calm and recompose herself, Zealan sat stilly in the chair besides her. His lips were moving, but he wasn’t making any sort of sound. He must have been talking to himself, or making more mental notes of what he had just learned. Though the conversation so far had been brief, it had carried a heavy impact with it.

Zealan continued to stay silent as the clock on Edea’s desk ticked. Edea busied herself by once more looking at the family photo she cherished so much. Ringabel stood proudly in his best outfit while one of the twins held their fingers out in a v-shape just above his head and the other stuck their leg out behind him. Edea sat in front of them, unbeknownst to what was going on behind her as she tried to comfort the crying, camera-shy Valentine in her arms. Admittedly, it had been the worst photo taken of the family during that particular visit to Mr. Doka’s studio, but it had been her personal favorite.

Looking at the photo now though, Edea felt that it was incomplete. With Alternis leaning back to antagonize Ringabel, it left an empty space behind them. Though the other photos in the batch had utilized all of the space available, they all felt dull compared to this one, the one that showed her family’s true nature. For a moment… Edea wondered if that space had been meant for Anazel… If he would have fit perfectly in their family photo, smiling and laughing at his family’s antics.

“Mrs. Lee?”

Startled, Edea jumped in her chair and turned her attention back to Zealan. “Oh, Zealan! Are you feeling okay now?” she asked before taking a deep breath to help her recover from her sudden shock. She had been so focused on the photo that the world around her had been completely tuned out.

Zealan gave Edea an affirmative nod. “Yes, and I’d like to thank you for sharing everything with me,” he said before smiling. His eyes looked sad, but his smile seemed genuine. Edea assumed it was his attempt to make her feel better after all the questions, but she could still tell he was feeling a bit shaken up. Concerned, she leaned a bit closer to him.

“Are you sure you’re feeling alright?” Edea asked as she placed her hand on top of Zealan’s. His own hand began to clench in response, but he allowed Edea to hold it without any resistance. At that moment in time, they both needed the comfort.

“I… I don’t know,” Zealan admitted to her. “When I came to talk to you, I… Didn’t know what to expect. I wasn’t expecting so much to be said, and now that I know everything I wanted to learn… It’s hard to get my head around…”

“Zealan…” Edea began as she held her son’s hand tight. “Please tell me what’s wrong… And don’t worry about making me uncomfortable or upset… I want to be able to help you.”

Zealan let out a shaky sigh, but he was still hesitant to speak. Edea squeezed his hand as assurance everything would be okay, and after a few moments, he began to open up to her. “After… After Mr. Lee told me about your son, about Anazel, I had to know… I had to know if it was me. I had to know if I was the son you had lost,” he explained as he started to tear up. “My full name… My full name is Zealan Ringabel Dim. My middle name coming from somebody my father briefly worked with, and… And I was born on December 31st, during a large snowstorm, after something happened to my mother that caused her to go into an early labor…”

Slowly, but ever so lovingly, Edea put her other hand on Zealan’s cheek and wiped a stray tear that had managed to fall. “I know, Zealan… As soon as I saw you, I knew…” she told him. “Even if you didn’t understand, I knew that you and Anazel were one in the same…”

His lip trembling, Zealan nodded his head. “I understand everything now,” he assured Edea as more tears welled up. “Wh-when you apologized… I had no idea what to do… I thought you were apologizing in my mother’s place and couldn’t react… B-but now I know the truth…”

Upon hearing Zealan mention his mother, Edea began to tear up as well. “I was, Zealan… I-in a way, I was apologizing for her… Just as you and Anazel are one in the same, s-so are your mother and I,” she told him with tearful stuttering. “Your mother w-wanted to raise you so much, I know she did, just as I had wanted t-to raise Anazel... So when I apologized to Anazel for failing him, she a-apologized to you for failing you…”

“Y-you didn’t fail me!” Zealan suddenly shouted. “I knew that you loved me! I knew y-you wanted to care for me! I… I… I knew...”

Before anymore could be said, Edea was holding her son in her arms and sobbing. She was in a lot of emotional pain, but she knew that Zealan felt the same way and holding him in her arms was helping. She had never been able to hold him as a child, and he had grown up without his mother’s embrace. This was something that they both needed, even if they weren’t the exact one the other had lost. Being together still meant so much to them, and it gave them something they had both always wanted.

“Y-your mother and I, w-we’re sorry… I-I’m sorry,” Edea whispered as she held her son tight. Zealan wiped his sleeves against his cheeks and sniffled in a way that made him seem like a small child.

“I f-forgive you… W-we forgive you…” he said in response. Looking at her son, Edea could see that despite his age, he was still her little boy. His nose was running and his cheeks were red, and he looked like a little kid reunited with his mother after being lost in a crowd of people. He needed assurance and a tissue, and she’d be there to give it to him.

Neither of them knew how much time had passed until the two finally began to calm down. Edea’s cheeks were red, and Zealan’s eyes had puffed up from crying. Though Edea was still emotional, a heaviness that used to be in her heart was starting to disappear. Letting go of Zealan, she allowed herself to sit up straight, though she kept her hand near Zealan’s in case he wanted to hold it. She was hopeful that he wanted to.

“Thank you… Thank you for taking me in, Mrs. Lee,” Zealan said as he wiped away the last bit of tears on his cheeks. He seemed truly happy as he spoke to her, and it warmed Edea’s heart to know that he was grateful for what they had done.

“Thank you for letting us take you in,” she told him before letting go. She thought about how Zealan could have easily said no and stayed with his adoptive father- her master- and continued to live a somewhat normal life, but he had chosen to go with Ringabel into the unknown instead. Perhaps it was because something inside his heart had drawn him back to his family.

Zealan shifted a bit. “I admit I was against it at first, but… My adoptive father- your master- was really insistent that I come,” he admitted. “He said he felt it would fill a hole in my heart that he’d never be able to mend on his own.”

Edea laughed. “That sounds like him,” she said before smiling. “I’m glad that you’re here though, and I’m thankful to my master for helping.”

“Speaking of my adoptive father, do you think I can ask you a few more questions?” Zealan asked as he took a hold of her hand. “I only know what your master has told me about you, and… I’d like to know more about my mother among a few other things.”

Still smiling, Edea nodded again. “Of course!” she said with delight. “I’d like to know more about you as well!”

“Then I’ll answer any question you have about me,” he promised her, “but first, I have two other questions I’d like to ask you.”

“What are they?” Edea asked as she made herself comfortable. She watched as Zealan grabbed the photo off of her desk and looked at it. Part of his thumb was covering the empty space.

“This picture…” he began before looking over at her. “Is there a chance we can all take a picture like this one? One where we’re all happy and smiling?”

Her smile turning into a wide grin, Edea let out a laugh. “Of course we can, but only if you’re okay with the twins ruining it!” she teased before continuing to laugh. “That picture may be one of a kind, but it’s not the only one we have where something went wrong!”

Giving Edea a small smile, Zealan placed the picture back down. “That leads me into my next question,” Zealan told her before chuckling. Edea tilted her head slightly and raised an eyebrow.

“And what exactly is your next question?” she asked curiously. Leaning back in his own chair, Zealan took a deep breath and exhaled in a way that sounded like another laugh. He looked at Edea and continued to smile, this time, however, he also looked a bit worried.

“Are the twins really as bad as Mr. Lee says they are?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end of that (for now)! This was the second fic written, but since it takes place after Zealan's conversation with Ringabel, it got put here instead! It was a rather fun trilogy to write, and honestly I didn't even think it would end up being three fics long!
> 
> Special thanks to Komatsu for being rad and helping me to write all of this! You definitely pushed me and helped me improve!

**Author's Note:**

> This was the first of the three fics written for this series! They were actually written out of order, but I'll be posting them in the order that makes the most sense! This fic itself was inspired by Heartbeat, and the other two were written from there!


End file.
